Le Centre des Jeunes Monseigneur Marcel Utembi de Mahagi (CdJ) dont nous gérons, a eu à la fin de 2022 une nouvelle toilette moderne et l’eau potable dans sa cour. Cela compte comme un grand achèvement pour le centre vu les nécessités de ce milieu. C’est-à-dire, la commune de Mahagi est assolée par différentes maladies et la fièvre typhoïde top la liste. La connexion existante entre le thème et cette fièvre, soulève des questions. Existe-t-il une relation causale entre l’eau potable et la maladie mentionnée ci-dessus ? et la toilette moderne ? dans quel sens cela atténuera-t-il le niveau d’infection par cette maladie ?
To begin with, typhoid fever has the direct connection with the above mentioned theme, it is a bacterial disease which can be fatal. The bacteria that cause it are common where hygiene and sanitation conditions are poor. So, we can get typhoid fever when we drink water or eat food contaminated with the bacteria. As a result, raw fruits and vegetables grown in soil fertilized with human excrement can easily create infection.
Technically, this typhoid fever is caused by a type of salmonella called Salmonella typhi. And it is precisely when this bacterium is in the water or our vegetables, our fruits or our food in general. From this point, we notice how our Center through this project, intends to reduce the chains of infection of this disease. Those who live around our Center, the workers of the Center and all those who frequent the center will have a chain of transmission cut. They will benefit not only from drinking water but also from a modern toilet.
As if that’s not enough, the second cut chain of transmission is precisely linked to contaminated food. That means, as we do not control the carriers of this disease, it is possible that with the traditional toilets the flies carry the contaminated buttocks and contaminate our food and even the plates, etc. In fact, the culture around here is to do the dishes and leave them to dry outside. At this time, flies can carry bacteria from places where the toilets are not closed and the hygienic conditions are minimal.
Considering that our commune has typhoid as a disease, the Youth Center saw the importance of providing drinking water and building a modern toilet. This is to help cut the chains of transmission of this disease, not only to the workers of the center but also to those who frequent the center, to our neighbors and all other beneficiaries. In this sense, the center continues à lutter pour le bienêtre de la communauté dans laquelle il est inséré.